Which are the popular no carb foods and why are they so good for you?
No-carb foods are consumed by those who are on a no-carb diet plan. If you are eating a non-carbohydrate diet, that doesn’t mean that you are depriving your tummy much because you get to eat adequate quantities of other great foods that are a yummy and fitting substitute to your carbohydrate-containing foods. Some foods do not contain carbohydrates naturally while some other food products are specially made to be sold to people who are on a no-carb diet plan. If you are planning to adopt a no-carb lifestyle, you must know what all you can eat. But before learning about the different no-carb foods, it is worthwhile to understand what a no-carb diet plan actually is.
A no-carb diet is a diet lacking in carbohydrates totally. It is often referred to as human carnivorism. In case of a no-carb diet, carbohydrate consumption is replaced by the consumption of optimum quantities of fat and protein. Nowadays there is a craze among people to slim down and so many are adopting the no-carb diet plan as an easy means to weight loss. Professor Atkins designed a weight loss diet plan (commonly known as Atkins diet) to help people lose weight abruptly. The functioning of the Atkins diet plan was based on the principles of no-carb diet. Therefore Atkins diet is a good example of no-carb diet.
How does no-carb diet work?
It has been proved scientifically that your body fat is not necessarily the result of a fat-rich diet. Your fattiness on the other hand may be the result of carbohydrates which are readily transformed in to fat under the impact of insulin, a hormone secreted by our pancreas. Many experts hold the opinion that most obese people are obese because of Hyperinsulinemia, a condition characterized by high levels of insulin in blood. When a carbohydrate-rich meal is eaten, blood glucose or sugar levels shoot up and this stimulates the pancreas to produce more and more insulin. The hormone insulin allows the body cells to use up the blood glucose for the purpose of fueling our body. However insulin comes with a problematic side-effect too; i.e. it fosters fat accumulation in your body and increases your appetite by causing the brain to transmit hunger signals. Resultantly your carbohydrate consumption increases and there’s a repetition of the cycle. Gradually the cells of your body develop an insulin resistance which implies that the pancreas now has to work harder to meet the body’s increased demand for insulin. High insulin levels in your body not only make you fat but also cause you to age prematurely.
If you eat a diet low in carbohydrates or devoid of carbohydrates, you will be able to control insulin production and put an end to the vicious cycle. When you don’t consume carbs, your insulin level drops and the glucagon level goes up. Glucagon is a fat-burning hormone. It also allows the removal of arterial plaque.
When you exclude carb out of diet, you are causing your body to enter in to a state called Ketosis. When in the Ketosis state, your body burns down the stored fat for fueling itself with energy. This process releases ketone bodies in to your bloodstream. As a result you lose weight, your sugar levels become stabilized and your insulin levels come down. This explains why no-carb diet is also called Ketogenic diet.
How does no-carb food help you?
Eating of no-carb foods is held essential by many around the world for leading a healthy, disease-free life. The various health benefits of carb-free foods may be listed below:
- It will cause fat loss but not muscle loss
- It will eliminate from your life binge eating habits.
- It will lower blood pressure
- It will cure all gastrointestinal issues
- It is anti-diabetes diet because it lowers blood sugar/glucose levels substantially
- It will better your insulin sensitivity.
- It will cure headaches, joint aches and muscle aches
- It will help you to maintain healthy triglyceride and cholesterol levels
- It will impart a freshness and glow to your skin
- It will alleviate your irritation and improve your focus and concentration
- It will make you feel energetic and your mental stress too will vanish
The major no-carb foods you should know about:
Here follows a list of the major no-carb foods:
- Poultry-Poultry is an effective no-carb food option. The various sources of poultry include chicken, turkey, goose, quail, pheasant and Cornish hen. Among these chicken is the most popular poultry source. You can consume chicken in baked, broiled, roasted, barbequed, fried or boiled forms.
- Eggs-Eggs are one of the most popular no-carb food options. Eggs are protein-packed. Both the egg white and yolk may be eaten by a no-carb dieter. He or she can enjoy egg in the following cooking styles: omelet, poached, scrambled, fried, deviled, hard boiled or soft boiled
- Meat-Meat is a predominant no-carb food option. No-carb meat comes from sources like lamb, ham, beef, pork, bacon, venison and veal. You can use a number of styles to cook the meat. The commonly eaten meat varieties include pork steak, bacon and beef.
- Seafood-A wide range of seafood may be incorporated in to a no-carb diet plan. You have the following options: herring, salmon, sole, sardines, tuna, flounder and trout. You can also consume shellfishes like oysters, shrimp, squid, mussels, crab and clams.
- Fats & Oils-Fats and Oils are totally free from carbohydrates. So a no-carb dieter can easily use them in the food he or she is eating. The options for you are: canola oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, olive oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, sugar-free mayonnaise and butter. When you are using oils for cooking your no-carb diet, its best for you to go for the cold-pressed or Expeller-pressed ones.
- Cheese-Cheese contains negligible amount of carbohydrates. So you are permitted to include it in your no-carb diet. You can use the following cheese varieties: parmesan, Swiss, Greek, cheddar, feta, mozzarella, gouda, blue cheese, cream cheese, goat cheese, sheep cheese and cow cheese.
- Fruits-Fruits can be eaten too though most people believe that one cannot eat fruits when on a low carb diet. You can consume freely fruits like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, honey dew and cantaloupe
- Whole grains-Not all whole grains are free from carbs. So you have to be very selective while incorporating whole grains in your low carb diet. You can opt for whole grains like oatmeal, whole wheat pasta and brown rice. Make sure that the grains you are using are unprocessed.
- No-carb diet products-Nowadays you can get a variety of processed, carb-free diet products at almost all grocery stores. Diet desserts like gelatin or ice-pops for example are absolutely free from carbs and sugar. The market also offers you multiple types of non-carbohydrate condiments like sauces, salad dressings etc.
A single day’s diet chart on the no-carb diet?
Here follows a no-carb diet plan for a single day. Take a look at what all no-carb foods you can eat in the course of the day:
Breakfast:
- Boiled eggs (6 in number)
- Greek cheese (30 grams)
Snack:
- Skimmed, sugar-free yoghurt (400 grams)
Lunch:
- Grilled meat (200 grams)
- Fresh veggie salad (The salad should include vegetables like tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, lettuce and cabbage)
Snack:
- Lentil sprouts (100 grams). Before eating the sprouts you may sprinkle some salt or add a little vinegar for better taste. Lentil sprouts are rich in potassium and phosphorous. According to recent findings, lentil sprouts are a good cure for hypertension (high blood pressure). So it will add nutritional value to your diet plan
Dinner (Do eat dinner before 7 pm)
- A bowl of low-fat soup (Tofu soup is ideal). Preparation method: Cut in to cubes 200 grams of Tofu. Put it in a round bottom skillet. Now add to the skillet, diced mushrooms, leeks, a pinch of salt, pepper and 2 & ½ cup water. Boil for about 15 minutes. Take the soup fuming hot.
Though many fitness-conscious people are choosing the no-carb diet plan yet you must know that the diet plan is caught in the midst of a controversy. If you don’t consume carbs at all, your glycogen level will drop. When you are consuming carbs in plenty, glycogen production by your liver will become accelerated. The increased glycogen will safeguard you against dehydration and loss of muscles. But if you do not consume carb, no glycogen will be produced. So you will dehydrate and lose muscles easily. Now this is not a good thing. This will cause you to turn extremely tired and passive. You will feel no urge to work at all. Ultimately your metabolic rate will drop and this could be quite alarming at times. So for health reasons, you should better consume at least 100 grams of carbs per day. Total elimination of carbs from diet could be harmful. Thus in the above single day no-carb diet plan, I have included some veggies, cheese and lentil sprouts. These food items are low in carb and will amount to only those 100 grams of carbs which you need badly.